Hand-shears.



H. J. HAEGEN.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

Qwi/hneoozo THE NORRIS PETERS 50., WASHINGTON, n. c.

HENRY J. I-IAEGEN, 0F OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

I-IAND-SHEARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

Application filed October 28, 1910. Serial No. 589,573.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY J. HAEGEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Shears, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hand-shears or cllppers found particularly useful for outtmg the stems of grapes or similar fruit, where the stems are of wood fiber or hardened; and while well adapted for this use, it may of course be used for other purposes.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a cutting instrument of few and simple parts, so that it may be manufactured to advantage, and which will include a loop for the fingers and a thumb-piece, so that the implement may be operated by the thumb and will not be obtrusive to interfere with the use of the hand upon which it is secured or mounted.

The invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as described herein and claimed, and as illustrated in the drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is an edgewise view of the hand shears, showing the front end thereof. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of the rear side of the shears. Fig. 4 is a detail to illustrate the preferred manner of securing the device upon the fingers of the operator.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, numerals 4 and 5 indicate, respectively, the upper and lower blades of the shears, preferably constructed of sheet-steel. The upper blade 4 is provided with a flat or attenuated integral stem 6 extending upwardly, and thence forwardly or transversely to form a stop 7, and from stop 7 the str'p is extended downwardly at 8 to provide a support for the thumb-piece 9, said thumb-piece, preferably, being transversely curved at 10 to support the ball of the thumb. Said blade is provided with a flat or attenuated, integral guide-arm or alining-strip 11 extending at right angles to its lower edge 12, the part of the blade, near said edge, always being in contact with blade 5.

Blade 5 is provided with an integral, attenuated stem 13 which extends downwardly and is curved transversely of said blade, as indicated at 14, and from this curved part is extended upwardly as indicated at 15, substantially parallel with the blade, and is inturned at 16 to provide a holding-loop through which the second and third fingers of the hand of the operator may be thrust; and said blade is provided with an integral guide-arm or alining-strip, disposed at right angles, substantially, to its upper edge 18.

Arms or strips 11 and 17 preferably have the same thickness as the shear blades, and at 19 are indicated parallel, adjacent incisions formed in said blades 4 and 5, the wall or material between the incisions being bent transversely to provide upon the inner and outer sides of said blades, respectively, the integral clasps or staples 20 and 21. Arm or strip 11 may be mounted in staple 21 of blade 5, and arm or strip 17 may be mounted in staple 20 of blade 4:.

Having its terminals mounted upon the shear blades, is the arcuate spring 22. It extends rearwardly or in a direction opposite to the cutting edges 23 of said blades, and normally tends to cause the blades to separate or move away from each other, lug 24, formed by upsetting the end of arm or strip 11, limiting their movements in this respect, since it may make contact with staple 21.

The device as described is very convenient for the purposes mentioned, and the hand of the operator upon which it is mounted, is practically free for other purposes. It will be seen that arms or alining-strips 11 and 17 will cause the adjacent sides of the blades to remain in contact with each other since each arm or strip is disposed in the plane of the blade of which it is an integral part, and is mounted upon the fiat side of the adjacent blade and engaged or circumscribed by the staple of said adjacent blade, and a lateral movement of the blades, with reference to each other will be prevented. The cutting-edges of the blades will therefore have a' reliable bearing upon each other to cut hardened twigs, stems or similar fibrous substances.

lVhen the spring is compressed by the op erator, by causing the thumb-piece to move downwardly, the free end of arm or strip 17 will make contact with stop 6, to prevent the cutting edges of the blades from passing each other.

The device may be economically manufactured since it comprises few parts, and is a very convenient implement for the purposes mentioned.

Having fully described the parts of the devices and their uses, a further explanation relating to operation is not necessary.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, y

In a device of the character described, the combination with a pair of coacting blades adapted to slide past each other, said blades being provided with interengaging guides, of a bowed spring member connecting said blades and extending rearwardly therefrom and lying substantially in the vertical plane of the body portions of the blades, the lowermost of said blades being continued to form an embracing member for a plurality of the fingers of the user and the uppermost of said blades being continued to form an extension adapted for engagement by the thumb of the user, both of said extensions lying in the same vertical plane and said extensions lying at right angles to the blades and the bowed spring member, said guide members comprising a loop upon each of said blades and a tongue upon each of said blades, the tongue of one blade engaging with the loop of the other.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY J. I-IAEGEN. \Vitnesses HIRAM A. STURGES, E. L. HUMPHREY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.? 

